19 posts categorized "Flight of the Conchords"

April 29, 2009

What was true of the "Flight of the Conchords'" second season on HBO was true of their Tuesday concert at Chicago's Arie Crown Theatre as well. Though both had their high points, I was ready for them to be over when they were over.

Actually, I was ready for the concert by the New Zealand comedy-music duo to be over before it was over.

It's easy to list the best parts: the guys doing their unsexy dance moves after they left their chairs and sang "Sugalumps" at the edge of the stage ("Stop objectifying me!" Jemaine Clement shouted as he gyrated); the strangely compelling, even elegiac rendition of "Bowie"; and the jaunty version of the gleefully silly "Foux de Fafa," which is never not funny. Don't ask me why a series of French phrases ("Jacques Cousteau!" "Soup de jour!" "Menage a trois!") punctuated by Charles Aznavour-style growls is hilarious, but it always is.

(Another high point: The opening set by Eugene Mirman, who has a small recurring role on "Flight of the Conchords." At the end of his set, musicians Jon Langford and John Wesley Harding came out to sing a folk-song version of Mirman's hilarious rant against his least favorite airline.)

During the Conchords' set, Jemaine's gravelly baritone gave the "Space Oddity"-era tribute that is "Bowie" sonorous yet humorous intensity, and he brought down the house when he announced that his rapping on "Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros" had made the ladies in the first three rows pregnant ("Congratulations, [expletives]!").

Bret McKenzie, who is normally even more laconic than the very laconic Jemaine on the HBO show, is a sight to see when he becomes animated, as he did during "Foux de Fafa," the Conchords' classic "The Most Beautiful Girl (in the Room)" and "I'm Not Crying," which is about those times when you're not upset, but for some reason, your "eyes are just a little sweaty."

But the real tension of the night came not from the songs, a good number of which were either unmemorable new songs or mediocre Season 2 numbers, but from the way Jemaine and Bret alternately riffed off the crowd and showed their disdain for its tendency to shout at them. You never knew whether they were truly annoyed or amused -- much of their show, after all, revolves around misunderstandings and minor annoyances. But I'd venture to guess there was some real irritation underneath the deadpan Kiwi cool they're known for.

The concert took on the air of one of the show's famous "band meetings," which are usually high points of their HBO program, a comedy about a fictional version of the Conchords trying to make it in New York. On the show, Rhys Darby plays Murray, the duo's comically clueless manager, who hates chaos so much that he takes meticulous attendance at every band meeting. I didn't quite expect Bret or Jemaine to whip out Murray's ever-present clipboard at the concert, but I bet they wanted to from time to time, in an effort to keep a firmer grip on the agenda.

It was certainly a change from their mellower 2008 concert in Chicago, which was at the much more intimate Chicago Theatre. The Arie Crown is a punishing barn of a space (and when the band got loud, the acoustics were tinny and very unpleasant). And this time, there were more than 4,000 spectators in the crowd, a fair number of whom wanted to personally communicate with the guys.

To write that Bret said, "That's a terrible heckle" after someone brought up swine flu as the duo introduced "Think About It," their "issues" song, doesn't convey the fact that it was said jokingly (I think). Earlier on, Jemaine said to another would-be conversationalist, "Just because you're loud doesn't mean you make any sense."

A deadpan look and the Kiwi accent defused whatever might have been confrontational in that sentence. But despite their adept handling of the crowd (and their excitement at receiving a fan-made Conchords portrait on banner made of silver cloth), you had to wonder if the audience interactions interrupted the flow of between-song banter, which can be the best thing about the Conchords' live show.

This tour, the Conchords shared the stage with the "New Zealand Symphony Orchestra." That's actually a guy named Nigel who played cello and some other instruments, and he was a wise addition: The songs sounded fuller and richer and Nigel's accompaniment allowed Bret and Jemaine to focus more on the comedy of the show.

But the most perplexing decision of the night was to play "Demon Woman," an unexceptional Season 2 song, as an encore. Where was "Business Time"? "Robots"? "If You're Into It"? (I can just hear Jemaine saying, as he did on Tuesday, "We're not a jukebox.")

I found myself wanting to hear those songs, and wishing that the Conchords' fame, and the venue, were both smaller. Intimacy suits this band, which isn't about the big rock gestures -- they're about self-deprecation, clever wordplay and goofing on the idea of big rock gestures.

"They were better before they got big" is the most cliched thing you can say about a band. The weird thing is, I wonder if the Conchords themselves agree.

March 02, 2009

It was the first episode of the season that I immediately watched again. Here's a quick bullet-point list of the things I loved about "Prime Minister" (and that is followed by excerpts from a recent interview of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement):

The Prime Minister of New Zealand, Brian, was hilarious. He loves "The Matrix" (and it was a perfect little touch that the copy he got from Dave was a VHS tape). Other funny things about Brian: He is re-using the business cards of the country's previous prime minister, and he has a cell phone the size of a loaf of bread.

The dueling-clipboards scene between Murray and Brian on the train was hilarious. We learned that, to be the prime minister of New Zealand, you basically have to be a slightly older and gruffer version of Murray. Like Murray Brian also loves meetings, checklists and taking notes. "Official apology made by Murray Hewitt. Apology accepted," Brian said.

But did you notice -- Brian didn't take attendance!

Though I enjoyed the Prime Minister story more, there were some good moments in the tribute-band story line, notably Patton Oswalt as an Elton John tribute artist and Mary Lynn Rajskub as an Art Garfunkel groupie. The appearance by the actual Art Garfunkel at the end was a great payoff to that plot.

The episode contibuted the word "Garfunkling" to the English language.

The way the Matrix thread, the prime-minister plot and the tribute-band story line tied together at the closing party was really inspired, especially when Murray shouted that the prime minister was heading toward "the edge" of the rooftop, as a Bono imitator stood a few feet away. Brian taking "Charlie's Angels" photos with an Obama imitator and his "Matrix guys" -- that bit is still making me laugh.

There were so many funny small things -- the way Bret called Brian "my lord" and Dave called him "your majesty," the sight of Mel's husband in a Bret costume, the discussion of New Zealand's only gun (Murray: "The army has it.") and the fact that Jemaine and Rajskub's character met at a restaurant named "Alias."

Then there was my favorite song of the season so far. Most of the songs have been indifferent, but Bret's karaoke number had just the right measures of weirdness and goofy charm. And how can you not love the lyrics: "You are healthy/ with the quality of a pheasant"; "Sometimes love is/ sweet as kalbi (beef delicacy)."

Here's the whole song:

Below are excerpts from an interview with Clement and McKenzie in the current issue of Playboy:

In the Feb. 8 episode, Jim Gaffigan of "My Boys" and other comedic ventures guest stars as a friend of Murray (Rhys Darby), the Conchords' manager.

And the Feb. 15 episode, in which Jemaine starts dating an Australian (what?!), was directed by Michel Gondry ("The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind").

Another cool (but brief) guest spot in an upcoming episode: Alan Dale ("Lost," "The O.C.," "Ugly Betty") is in a key scene in the Feb. 1 episode, in which Bret forms a gang called the "Tough Brets."

One other Conchords note: On Youtube, HBO posted some commercials for the pawn shop owned by Bret and Jemaine's friend Dave (Arj Barker). I've posted one below, the other commercials for the shop are here and here. Warning: If you watch all three, you might find yourself saying, "What you want, we got it!" at random times throughout the day.

And guess what? The entire Season 2 premiere of "Flight of the Conchords," which airs 9 p.m. Sundays on HBO, is available on YouTube as well. I've posted it below.

January 16, 2009

Nothing's less funny than a comedy that tries too hard. But "Flight of the Conchords" (9 p.m. Sunday, HBO; three stars) pulls off the neat trick of being amusing without appearing to try at all.

Many of the jokes in the first three episodes of this comedy’s second season are throwaways that I didn’t get until I watched the episodes a second time.

For example, in the second episode, Murray (Rhys Darby), the hapless manager of the even more hapless musical duo Flight of the Conchords, is shocked to learn that Jemaine (Jemaine Clement) is starting a new career as a prostitute.

The prostitution gig doesn’t work out so well, and later Bret ends up letting their slightly unhinged superfan Mel (Kristen Schaal) pay him for a massage. Mel is married, and Bret’s decidedly uninterested in her. But nobody comments on how awkward the situation is. That’s not the “Conchords” way, where polite avoidance leads to all kinds of comical complications.

Where this show lets itself go is in the songs that break up each episode. But even there, a sense of gentle daffiness and self-mockery rules: When Jemaine performs a rap song about everyone wanting his “sugar lumps,” the admiring ladies who surround him brandish not bikinis and bling but soup and vouchers for books.

One fact is clear in the second season of “Conchords”: The words “band meeting” usually lead to comedy gold. One of the funnier gags of the opening episode has Bret and Jemaine calling an impromptu band meeting without Murray present, yet they faithfully follow their prissy manager’s habit of taking attendance first.

Darby is really the unsung hero of the show; he manages to make the nitpicky Murray both a figure of fun and a basically good-hearted guy. Murray’s the kind of guy who thinks that his Nigerian email correspondent picked him, out of all the people on the Internet, for an exciting new business opportunity.

As is the case with Bret and Jemaine, Murray is a well-calibrated mixture of innocence and incompetence. It’s actually a little sad when Murray, the cultural attache for the New Zealand consulate, is relentlessly picked on by the bullies from the Australian embassy.

When its unique mixture of deadpan humor and surreal music comes together the right way, “Flight of the Conchords” is just delightful. But that’s actually the problem this season; Clement and McKenzie, who write all the show’s musical material, appear to be suffering from second-album syndrome.

Some Season 2 songs, including an operatic tune from Murray, don’t achieve liftoff. Others neatly fit into the plot of individual episodes (especially the “West Side Story” homage in Episode 3), but they won’t be hummable and quotable weeks or months from now, as Season 1’s classic songs were.

Maybe Murray should bring that up at the next band meeting.

Note: The entire first episode of the season is available here. One other note: There's an excellent interview with Darby here.

January 10, 2009

No preamble, no blathering from me. Because you just want to get to the good stuff. The good stuff being clips from the season premiere of "Flight of the Conchords," which returns to HBO on Jan. 18. Two days after the return of "Battlestar Galactica" and three days before the return of "Lost." Oh dear, I need to lie down, I think my brain's going to explode. In a good way.

I lied, I do have one little preamble: These clips are from the Season 2 premiere, so if you'd rather remain in the dark about what transpires in that episode, don't watch the clips below.

As if you'll be able to resist. Right.

This first clip I posted a while ago, but it helps set up what's in the clips that follow it.

December 22, 2008

Did you get a chance to see the "Flight of the Conchords" season premiere when it was on Funny or Die? If not, here is a clip from the first episode of Season 2 of "Flight of the Conchords," which returns on HBO Jan. 18.

In the clip, unsuccessful musicians Bret and Jemaine meet with Murray, their manager, who rubs the success of one of his other bands in their face. The duo later discusses merchandising possibilities for their band.

December 17, 2008

Let me be the last person to tell you (or perhaps remind you) that the season premiere of HBO's "Flight of the Conchords" is up at FunnyorDie.com until Dec. 21. Catch it while you can! Leave your favorite quote from the episode in the comment area if you want to.

December 02, 2008

ANOTHER UPDATE: Thanks to the TV mavens at Eonline.com, here's that long new Season 5 "Lost" promo.

UPDATE: I've linked to another Dark UFO "Lost" promo clip for Season 5 below, as well as a Dark UFO blog post on a recent chat by executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse. I don't consider the chat log to be especially spoilery - there are a few clues about Season 5 but most of the transcript is tantalizingly vague and intriguing.

Via TV Tattle, here's a first look at Laurence Fishburne in his new "CSI" role. There's more on Fishburne's character here and here.

There are interviews with Fishburne and "CSI" star William Petersen, as well as behind-the-scenes footage, in this video clip:

Here's a great bit of news: Funny or Die will post the entire "Flight of the Conchords" season premiere on Dec. 17. It'll be up for four days, according to TV Squad. The show premieres on HBO Jan. 18. Here's a Season 2 promo:

Finally, Dark UFO has posted a couple of new "Lost" promos. What are the odds ABC not flogging that Fray song on every single "Lost" video? Yeah, I know, I should just get used to it.

UPDATE: Dark UFO has posted a promo chock full of Season 5 scenes here. The Cuse-Lindelof story is here.

August 06, 2008

What are the Flight of the Conchords guys up to these days? Well, Jemaine Clement has a new career as sci-fi author Dr. Ronald Chevalier, author of classics such as "Cyborg Harpies," "Brain Cream" and "Brutus & Balzaak." (They sound almost as good as the offerings in Stephen Colbert's Tek Jansen book series).

Here's a great Chevalier site that my editor, Carmel (another Conchords superfan), came across. My favorite feature may be the way the eyes on the banner's picture of Chevalier move around in an almost spooky way. There's an audio excerpt from his latest novel, and Chevalier is so technologically up to date that he's on Friendster (hah).

And of course there's a hilarious video on the site:

Apparently, Chevalier is a character in a 2009 film from the creator of "Napoleon Dynamite" -- there's more on that film, "Gentlemen Broncos," here.

Before I leave you, may I direct your attention to this Chevalier photo gallery as well as the biography, which notes that the good doctor "revolutionized the genre of 'visitation portraiture.'"

There's more on "The Chronicles of Brutus & Balzaak" as well. It concerns a hero who fights "evil lords corrupted by wealth and power, and armies of cyclopean guards aided by fierce battle stags, all bent on keeping the galaxy’s life-sustaining yeast from our hero’s grasp." Yeast?

Why exactly didn't Dr. Chevalier make it to Comic-Con? He would have fit right in. Ah well. We'll just have to hope that he posts more videos soon.

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